Sustainable Goals for Sustainable Living

We know that for consumers brands push that ethical is the new normal. Sustainably made, ethically produced, eco-friendly, all of these promises influence consumers into purpose-led purchases. But even though brands aim to be good citizens there are often challenges and obstacles that prevent them from achieving all of their sustainability goals.

The earth is what we all have in common – Wendell Berry.

What this means to us at Humpy Co is that we try our best to do what’s right, not what’s necessarily easy. As a company we’ve set sustainability goals that commit to responsibly sourcing materials for the manufacturing of our Humpies. And, through simple design we’ve tried to create a product that mitigates negative impact on our eco-system and natural resources.

So Are Humpies Sustainably Made?

Humpies are manufactured from sustainably-grown plantation pine.

The materials used in the making of a Humpy come from a forest that’s mindfully managed, and conserved in terms of the trees, land and soil to ensure soil preservation, reforestation and habitat conservation.

Where’s The Proof?

FSC® certified (SCS-COC-001316)

We know that’s a bit technical, so let us explain.

FSC® (Forest Stewardship Council) Chain of Custody provides Certification for Wood and Paper Products. They truly are setting the standards for sustainability. Being FSC® certified means that the wood we use to create Humpies meets the world’s most stringent environmental, ethical, and economic sourcing standards.

But Is Treated Timber Environmentally Friendly?

Not necessarily. However…

Humpies are treated with formaldehyde. They have a low formaldehyde emission (E0).

We are regulated by EWPAA Quality Control Policy and Specific Rules for Certification with regard to formaldehyde emission and are well below Australian specified standards.

Formaldehyde is a volatile organic compound and is a natural occurring substance in the environment. It is very quickly removed from the air by reaction with other species in the atmosphere and is broken down in water and soil within days. It is not considered likely that Formaldehyde pollution has any effects on the global environment.

The way that our Humpies are treated means that they are highly unlikely to affect plants, wildlife and human health.

How Are Humpies Sustainable by Design?

One of the most innovative features of a Humpy is that they are a flat-packed, modular building with an infinite life-span. By definition they are conserving an ecological balance by avoiding depletion of natural resources.

Humpies are Reusable

A Humpy can be erected in a day, solving the problem of needing more space. But as your needs change, a Humpy can be taken down and moved to a different location. Using a Humpy again and again, or by passing the love on, means that there’s a reduction in the use of natural resources and ultimately construction waste.

Humpies are Recyclable

Much of the material used to make a Humpy is recyclable. The wood is a 100% renewable building material. This means that should you chose not to reuse your Humpy when it reaches the end of its life with you, the wood can serve a new purpose, resulting in less waste sent to landfill.

Humpies are Energy Efficient

This point is three-fold.

The first key feature is that Humpies are assembled in a day. Compare adding a portable building to your backyard, to building an extension on your home or business. Arriving flat-packed and erected with minimal tools, results into huge savings in terms of time, money, energy and resources. The carbon footprint of a Humpy is far lighter than its traditional counterpart.

If we stay on the point of comparison between traditional extensions, and our Humpies, the second feature is that the production of wood requires little energy. Sawn goods consume considerably less energy during production than concrete, or bricks, which require double and quadruple the amount of energy respectively.

The third cool feature is that Humpies can breathe… stay with us on this point. Wooden structures possess the ability to absorb humidity in a room atmosphere and release it back into the atmosphere, balancing the levels of humidity within the room. What this means is that the quality of the air in the room improves, reducing the need for energy consumption required from additional ventilation.

So Are Humpies Made For Hipsters?

No.

Sustainable living to us is a conscious attempt to reduce the use of the earth’s natural resources and our own personal resources too, in any way that we can.

It’s almost a return to aparigraha, a Sanskrit term meaning not taking more than one needs. An ancient Indian philosophy based on the concept of possessions should include only what is necessary at a particular stage in one’s life.

That’s why our sustainably made space creating solutions, that can be assembled quickly based on your needs, and removed from your life and reused at any time, have such a broad appeal to people of all walks of life.

And the good news is that replacing the hipster millennials comes Gen Z – advocates of the shared economy, with an attitude of innovation and disruption, having grown up with the nothing is ‘mine’ approach. We feel like the Humpy Co philosophy marries with their ideals – a growing market who will soon be ready to take a Humpy off your hands!